The Forester XT is living, breathing proof that Subaru has lost its way. The Toyota-fication of the brand has now reached its pinnacle in the redesigned Forester, and it stands tall (really, really tall) as the perfect example of how to alienate the hippies and hoons that bought Subaru after Subaru. To put it succinctly, driving the new Forester XT is like answering the door expecting Ed McMahon with a check for a million dollars and finding your mother-in-law standing there instead. At least the MIL eventually goes home. The Forester XT just hangs around and keeps disappointing.
The illusion starts at the exterior. See that hood scoop? You may think that like the WRX and Legacy GT, the hood scoop means performance and fun. Instead, all it means is "Turbo inside" and nothing more. But even with the lump on the hood, the new Forester is definitely more attractive than the old one (kudos to Subaru for bucking the trend, there), but it represents a sharp shift from "boxy tall wagon" to "SUV." Why is Subaru making SUVs? Beats me, ask Toyota.
Step on inside. See that hood scoop? Yes, that bulbous nostril encroaching upon your field of vision that mocks you mercilessly day after day that you should have purchased the WRX. The ridiculously low front seats give occupants a nice view of the dash, hood scoop, and little else. The driver seat is thankfully height adjustable. Not so for the passenger, who peers out the window like a five year old struggling to see the road ahead. The seat bottoms are too short as well, providing about as much thigh support as a barstool and leaving both driver and passenger looking for somewhere to prop their knees.
But boy, are the rear seats gloriously spacious. I found myself thinking could I could overlook the front seats' shortcomings for the rear leg room alone. Then the cold hard reality hit me that (A) I'm going to be riding in the front 99.995% of the time and (B) it is wicked hard to reach into the baby's car seat to retrieve a pacifier when it's a half mile back. Families with long-legged teens will love the stretch-out space and the trick reclining rear seats. The rear seemed much more comfortable than the front– but the driver doesn't sit in the rear. The interior looks nicer than the WRX; quite nearly as nice as the Legacy, actually.
Let's make no bones about it, the only reason anyone would look at the XT over the base model lies beneath that functional hood scoop: the turbocharged 2.5L YEEEHAWWWW factor. The new Forester, like the WRX, packs more low-end torque at the expense of the high end but unlike the WRX it feels oddly sluggish overall. Want to add insult to injury? Here are your four automatic gears. The base Forester comes with a manual option; not so the XT. In fact, it doesn't even warrant the five-speed automatic. By this point, I'm starting to wonder if Subaru doesn't just want to discourage their hoon-oriented customers– they actively want to crush their spirits.
The overall experience feels like the last two Matrix movies. You know how much fun it could be, yet it's a stunningly horrible disappointment through and through. The handling, absolutely atrocious even by SUV standards, betrays Subaru's integral brand image. The loosey-goosey steering wheel feels like the ‘91 Explorer my parents drove. Understeer makes cornering an exercise in unexpected surprises. This fact might make you a safer driver, but not by choice. The whole thing handles like a sack of cornmeal being hauled by sled dogs – it's all mush.
Except instead of sled dogs, it's being hauled by nearly the best powerplant Subaru has to offer. Straight line motivation is an excellent adventure but God help ye otherwise. I can only imagine that such a ridiculously soft suspension and mammoth ride height gives it a passable ride in the rough, but if you have off-roading in your plans, why buy one of these when you can get a bargain bin Jeep instead? There's precious little to set the XT apart from the rest of the crop. Sure, it's fast(er), but who cares when driving it sucks the very soul out of you? Piloting it is an exercise in irritation and you feel like you're actively fighting against the Forester just to keep it on the road.
If you're looking for a sporty, fast CUV with room for the family, go buy an Acura RDX. It may be more expensive, but you'll never regret it. I can't fathom why anyone would spend their hard-earned cash on a new Forester, unless you're in that small group of Subaru lovers that won't have anything but a Subaru, and you live in the snow belt and/or need the extra room over an Outback for camping with the family. However, like Subaru, you can do better than this.
106 Comments on “2009 Subaru Forester XT Review...”
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Wow… I could not disagree more with the review. This is coming from a long time Toyota/Honda customer. The current RAV4 and CRV are whitewashed in almost every category when compared to the new Forester. I drove the naturally aspirated premium version so I can tell you this. When our CRV is up for replacement we will be giving the Forester an honest look.
From the sounds of things I would guess Ms Benoit has spent little time behind the wheel of the Forester. Not to mention it’s previously mentioned direct competitors. I am not saying this rig has a stunning appearance but Subaru must be doing something right. Take a look at last months numbers for Subaru if you need supplementary proof. Skewed? I think so…
Sorry but this vehicle is far less attractive than previous XTs.
From some angles the 09 XT looks like a RAV4 knockoff.
I knew Toyota would have some influence over Subie going forward, but this is ridiculous.
Megan,
Great to see you back in the Driver’s Seat. Sad to see Subie losing its way with the Forester. Looks like Subaru focused their limited engineering resources on the WRX, which apparently quite improved for ‘09.
I know the die-hard Subie fans will hate me for writing this, but I think Subaru should refocus its efforts. Drop the unique platforms and the boxer engines. Switch over to the Corolla/Matrix, the RAV4, and the Camry platforms, and concentrate Subaru talent on engineering vehicles which are the best performing, affordable AWD vehicles in the world.
I couldn’t disagree with this review more. The new Subaru Forester including the XT is perfect for real world conditions rather than hoonage.
The Forester is more of a no-nonsense vehicle. It’s not glamorous or a track star but it operates swiftly and adroitly for nearly all conditions.
Why not a Jeep indeed. Have you tried to get road service on the Denali Hwy at -40F? You’ll die trying, literally.
Subaru is the official vehicle of Winter for a reason and it’s not measured in 0-60.
Drop the unique platforms and the boxer engines.
I see the words…
It doesn’t make sense for someone looking for performance to look at the Forester as the answer. My wife would probably enjoy the base version of this car and would laugh at the whole concept of a hood scoop and a turbo. If one wants hoonage look to the WRX.
I was thinking more about the influence Toyota is clearly exerting on Subaru, and I am wondering if we are going to see Toyota pull a ‘Saab’ on Subie.
The last Forrester was a quirky, fun-to-drive vehicle. Now….I mean….look at it. Looking at the pictures, it could easily be mistaken for either a RAV4 or an Outlander. At first, Subies were distinct vehicles in both looks and performance. Now they just….blend in.
Toyota-fication indeed.
Couldn’t agree more with this review. Saw this development coming a year ago when the new Impreza debuted in August.
The new Impreza has short seats on the floor rather than the old upright stance, ditto Forester on the same basic chassis. The dash and door panels made of Rubbermaid-reject plastic add to the mess.
The WRX automatic lost the VTD planetary center differential, and all WRXs lost the rear LSD. Ditto the Forester. That’s a couple grand of decent stuff chucked out the window right there. Now there’s only electronic nannies to apportion torque side to side with the brakes, and the cheapest automatic tranny AWD system Subaru makes shoved into this highline vehicle. For shame…
That’s why I bought a 08 Legacy GT while it still had the VTD center diff and rear LSD and an interior that doesn’t suck. That’ll all be gone next year (2010), mark my words.
And for those who don’t think my carping makes any difference — here in the Nova Scotia snowbelt, my Legacy GT ended up with much better traction on ice than my old cheapy Impreza (with same brand and type of snow tires), which had the same auto these new Subarus have. The LGT also has electronic traction control, which never operated ONCE through one of the worst winters in years. Didn’t have to due to basic good engineering. The old Forester XT had the same system, now all gone.
To all those of you happy to be wobbling around in your new Forester with its set of high heels, I’m glad you like the car. You’ll never know what you are missing.
The new Forester seems to be selling very well. Apparently the roomier rear seat and more attractive exterior have hit the mark.
That said, here’s the reason I didn’t write a Forester XT review: I went and test drove one a couple months ago, and the performance was so much as described here that I feared I’d gotten a bum example. Or maybe they’d told me I was driving an XT, and the badges said XT, but it had actually been a mis-badged Limited.
I just couldn’t believe that the Forester XT could feel so sluggish and clumsy.
But apparently I drove an XT after all. It’s attactive, spacious, and not badly priced, but fun it isn’t.
I do hope to have some reliability information on the new Forester in November. If you know someone who owns a 2009 Forester, please send them here:
http://www.truedelta.com/reliability.php
From the sounds of things I would guess Ms Benoit has spent little time behind the wheel of the Forester. Not to mention it’s previously mentioned direct competitors.
*snort* Actually, it took me about 30 seconds to give this car one star… it took the rest of the time to earn the other two. I’ve never hated an SUV (and yes, at this size it’s an SUV, more or less) more, and I actually like small SUVs/CUVs for the most part. I just can’t convey how awful it was to actually drive this thing.
Now that Subie has un-f*cked the WRX, I hope they do the same to the Forester XT.
Why not a Jeep indeed. Have you tried to get road service on the Denali Hwy at -40F? You’ll die trying, literally.
Given the experience I’ve had with Subaru’s reliability, I’d buy the Jeep and take the money I saved and invest it moving out of the wilderness. Oh, and have you ever tried to get Subaru service in ATLANTA?
Michael, generally you and I are pretty opposite when it comes to cars, but for once we appear to have agreed on how disappointing the XT is. ;)
Honestly, I drove an Outback not long ago and had the exact same impressions. I did not drive an 08 WRX (have been avoiding it for not wanting to get more angry at Subaru for being ridiculous) and the Outback was by accident. I can see why folks would prefer the LegacyGT honestly; it’s a fantastic car. I did not know that they dropped the rear LSD and now have open differentials rather than at least some form of LSD; this means that the WRX will be far less competent on snow than has been. Subaru really has lost their way. The original Forester XT is a fantastic car to drive, with handling dynamics that are right in line with what one expects from a Subaru. This latest crop of most Subarus in general is just like a bad dream but it is actually happening. :(
The overall experience feels like the last two Matrix movies.
Epic take, Megan. It’s sad to see Subie’s performance character being tossed under the bus a piece at a time.
barberoux:
My wife would probably enjoy the base version of this car and would laugh at the whole concept of a hood scoop and a turbo. If one wants hoonage look to the WRX.
Subie’s image has always had a handling component. By ignoring that, they become Toyotas with flat-fours and (optional) turbos.
That said, your wife should probably drive a V6 RAV4.
It seems to me that Subaru is making the conscient choice of making a car that can appeal to more people by making the car more boring and less quirky (by quirky, I mean not offering MT with the XT). But the question for Subaru is: does selling more cars to indifferent people outweigh selling less cars to a passionate and loyal customer base?
Subaru has to defend the brand niche that it created first, and then look out to expand if they have that wrapped up. Being know for selling AWD doesn’t cut it. Every car maker can do that now. Subaru should represent engineering for practical cars (AWD sensible vehicles for northern luberjacks) and all out crazy powerful rally cars for the hooning crowd.
If Subaru doesn’t offer some sort of blown flat-4, MT and a wagon, I ain’t buying.
I saw one for the first time the other day. I thought it was an Escape/Tribute.
Megan–when did they, um, fix the WRX? Was there a mid-2008 patch?
First they kill the Legacy GT wagon, then they water down the Forester?
The other quirky, somewhat affordable brand (VW) started edging away from their identity a couple of years ago, save for a few standouts like the GTI. Now it looks like Subie is doing the same. I wonder if the used market will soon be the only place to find anything interesting.
Oh, and have you ever tried to get Subaru service in ATLANTA?
The Emory area is Subie Central due to all the displaced New Englanders who couldn’t get into an Ivy League school, yet the nearby Subaru franchise has closed up shop. Subaru sent a letter claiming to be looking into establishing another dealership in the area, but I’ll believe it when I see it.
The Forester is getting taller.
It looks like the Mitsubishi Highlander and Outlander.
STRIPPO:
What do you mean displaced New Englander’s who couldn’t get into an Ivy League school? Do you have a lot of people from New England who live in Atlanta? I’m from New England moved here not bred.
Strippo, there’s a new dealership going up in Kennesaw. They should be open soon, but even then they’re 20 minutes from us.
Michael, have you been hiding under a rock? The 09 WRX is supposed to be all that and a bag of chips.
Michael,
I think she is referring to the fact that Subaru has upgraded the power numbers on the WRX to 265 horses for 2009. That 224 just wasn’t doing it in today’s market (thank you MazdaSpeed 3).
Anyow, I haven’t driven the new Forester but I have sat in it and found it to be an ergonomic delight, the cabin is a very inviting place and has a sense of just-rightness about it. I still think the Forester provides a compelling purchase proposition to a buyer who isn’t looking to get F1 performance from their mini-ute. This is also one market segment where Subaru’s mpg numbers are very class competitive; I think it’s a good overall effort.
when did they, um, fix the WRX? Was there a mid-2008 patch?
The 2009 WRX (with the MT) gets a few bits and pieces from the STi plus a power upgrade to make it the dirt-loving, road racing WRX it was meant to be. The 224hp unit stays in the automatic version as the Impreza GT (probably directed at girls or something…no offence Megan).
I hope Subaru does the same with Forester and at least give it some sporting characteristics (the hood scoop ain’t enough).
Disappointing review to say the least. No mention of the Subi AWD system at all….and the hood scoop is functional by the way.
The fact that you mentioned that one could buy a “bargin bin” Jeep instead tells me everything I want to know. Which Jeep(s) are we talking about exactly? Perhaps reading some of the Jeep reviews on TTAC would serve you well. Some of the features that the Forester has you can not get on any Jeep model at any price.
Subaru did a fine job (with the exception of still offering the 4 speed auto which is inexcusable for a 2009 vehicle) of the Forester redesign…..they will solve the transmission oversight in 2010.
So your telling me that my wife’s Legacy GT MT wagon was the best of the good ole days? I drove it yesterday and was reminded why I couldn’t stand to drive it daily without some significant changes.
The brakes are big and look up to the job, but the brakelines feel like they’re made of balloons that clowns use to make animals for kids. The seat bottoms are about 6 inches too short. The clutch has always felt like there was a large amount of Crisco used in it’s manufacturing process. The handling is only competent at best as well.
All can be fixed for a price, but if that’s the best they ever did for the big side of a WRX, I’m out.
This is an unfortunate turn for the brand.
Part of me wonders if the lack of US-based engineering/tuning operations yields this. The Legacy is viewed as a sport sedan in Japan, so the suspension tuning is spot-on. The Japanese view SUVs as big cushy vehicles, so the marshmallow suspension tuning follows suit. Toyota and Honda both have US-based engineering arms which are tasked with tuning the suspensions for American tastes, which are admittedly more spirited than Japan (but not so much as Europe). I don’t believe SoA does the same. My Outback XT is a prime example of too much power overcoming a squishy suspension which makes for a schizophrenic driving experience. The Legacy GT is far more composed.
Subaru is also horribly and unacceptably behind on transmission technology and refinement, and it unfortunately saps the life and efficiency out of otherwise excellent powertrains. A tall 4-speed is unacceptable, not to mention class-trailing.
You know that line in the sand? The one we said we’d never cross? I reached mine when I test drove a 2009 mid-level Forester this past weekend. Sitting in the drivers seat everything was checking out until my eyes got to the instrument cluster. Tach, speedometer. fuel gauge…and that was it. Nothing more. Where was the water temperature gauge? (Sadly, I’m long past expecting to see an even better oil temperature gauge in this level of vehicle). The salesman patiently explained that since the water level gauge rarely moved, it had been been replaced with idiot lights. What!?! Idiot lights are what domestic manufacturers used to sprinkle their dashboards with. A speedometer, gas gauge and a bunch of idiot lights because anything more might ‘confuse’ the driver. And then, along came foreign manufacturers supplying even their base-level vehicles with a full complement of gauges- and guess what? What they did was so well received that the domestics were forced to follow suit. So Subaru, shame on your penny pinching. You can put me in that group that likes to know what’s going on with their vehicles before the point of no return (idiot light going on) is reached.
if no one’s mentioned this already, the forester is a station wagon, pure and simple. a fat tub of goo i used to work with bought one and went on about wanting an SUV etc etc and bought a forester like he was hot shit. it’s a f**king station wagon.
Thanks for the review, sad to hear as the original one was a bit fun to drive (both on and off-road).
I guess I’ll cross this one off my short-list as a next vehicle for Idaho. I don’t need a “sport” CUV and I really don’t need it to have more than 200hp, so I’ll wait to hear what the updated 2.5l Escape will do. Although, the CX-7 (with it’s absymal fuel economy is always there).
Up until a month ago we had two Outbacks a 1997 and a 2001. With the kids growing and complaining about the lack of comfort in the back middle space we started looking for a new car. Drove my dad’s brand new Rogue. Look and sat in a CRV. Reflected on the fact that Quebec city received 5.4 meters of snow last winter. Looked back at the generally good experience with our dealer and finally drove a 2009 Forester. We’ve had it for a month now and I agree that it does not feel like a 1997 Forester. It’s less sharp on the road and does not inspire as much confidence when tackling a highway ramp. But… it’s much bigger inside and we can now less reluctantly switch places with the tallest kid in back. It’s also much easier on the gas as we go about 60 km further on a tank. We bought a base 5 speed manual and although not peppy it’s a goddam family car and will do what we ask for 99% of the time in 99% of the situations. Did I mention the fact that I would’nt be caught dead driving a minivan ?
slinkster:
You probably also remember back when a 3.0 or even 2.8 was enough displacement for a six, and GM’s use of a 3.8 seemed like a quick fix of techno-lag. Because low-end torque wasn’t necessary if an engine was smooth and free-revving, right?
You probably also remember when 188 (or fewer) inches and 3,000 pounds seemed like plenty of size and mass for a midsize car, and anything larger and heavier was a symptom of domestic excess?
And yet, in 2008, the imports also offer large, heavy vehicles propelled by large, torquey engines. With a very limited set of instruments.
Megan,
As a matter of fact, I have essentially been under a rock. Good to hear about the powertrain. Have they also firmed up the suspension and steering? I assume the IP carries over.
I also disagree with this review.
The new Forester provides a better ride with less noise (no clunks from the rear or shuddering over bad roads) than the old model, with way more space and a nicer interior. You can also put a rear-facing car seat in the vehicle without making the person in front scoot forward.
Yeah, it doesn’t have a 5A, but if you are worried about fuel economy you wouldn’t buy an AWD vehicle anyway. Oh, and the old 5MT sucked. Good riddance to bad rubbish. It really was like crushing rocks.
Subaru also switched to timing chains, meaning no more expensive belt replacements. Aside from notoriously thin paint, I don’t see what’s to like.
And the new WRX has not been fixed.
Subaru’s been studying Forester revision with focus groups since 2004 and the result is selling well. I own an ‘09 XT’s and yes, Hoons should forget it (it won’t spin tires when you floor it, but just go where you aim it). But as small SUV it works just fine, just like CU and some other reviews claim. Subaru stopped offering 5-spd MT with XT because Mt’s were not selling.
If you want 5-spd MT and nicer trim, get Outback ‘08 XT which otherwise rides harsher, leans more in turns, has less rear seat room, burns more fuel and is less responsive. Or wait for ‘09 WRX with bigger motor and race-tuned suspension.
Meanwhile let’s see what TTAC says about VW Tiguan (predict you’ll love handling but will bitch about small motor (”Only 200 hp ??”).
For those who doesn’t know how Subaru drives on snow and wet pavement. How did I found out?
I saw one in Front of me on the last Northestern last January.
A Subaru FORESTER HIT a snow bank on a guard rail. It survived the crash with minimal body damage and compared to any other car out there. That’s how tough the Subarus are.
Boxer is great engine. There is nothing more I can say about it and they deserve a hood scoop with better to breath.
I don’t understand the comparison of a Forester and a RAV-4 or Honda CR-V
The Forester drives like a car AND THOSE 2 drives like an SUV.
There are no comparison with the Subaru Forester.
I guess we’ll just have to keep our ‘04 Forester XS healthy. All its sloppy handling needed was for us to ditch the OEM tires.
When my fiancée totaled her ‘02 Camry last February, I campaigned hard for a Subaru as a replacement because she’d moved north to Wisconsin just months before our 100+” of snow began to accumulate. I couldn’t stand her Toyota’s uncomfortably numb steering and road feel, which exacerbated her trouble in adjusting to driving up north, and which reminded me more of my high school whip (a ‘68 Chrysler) than anything else I’ve driven in quite a while.
Since my fiancée loved her Toyota and wanted to give one another go, we arrived at a compromise, and test-drove both the inline-4 and V6 RAV4s, along with a Honda CR-V, an ultra-low mileage Saab 9-2X, the outgoing-model Forester, and an Outback. The CR-V felt tinny, buzzy, and the dealership was pretty ambivalent about showcasing their product. The four-pot RAV4 felt dangerously underpowered, while the V6 felt like it had too much for the “Chassis by Novacaine” setup, particularly without the full-time AWD I was looking for. I didn’t want to buy a new vehicle and immediately have to purchase snow tires to boot. Plus, $30k for a RAV4 Sport w/part-time 4wd & moonroof and you don’t even get leather? Whiskey-Tango-Foxtrot, over. The Saab was a hoot to drive, but the size wasn’t right for our needs with kids on the horizon, and I didn’t want yet another car dependent on premium fuel (I drive a turbo’d Volvo wagon).
So it was down to the (now old-model) Forester and the Outback. We both found much to like about the Forester, but the front buckets were hard enough to make the most devout Baptist curse, and the rear seat “leg room” wasn’t even enough for the ghost of Eddie Gaedel. Since we do a fair amount of long-distance driving to visit family, we wound up picking a loaded Outback 2.5i Limited and sacrificing something like two cubic feet of overall cargo space. My Volvo’s bigger than either Subie, so this wasn’t a big deal.
We love the Outback for the most part, but that 4-speed auto my fiancée wanted is pretty infuriating. For a loaded car within spitting distance of $30k to not have a 5-speed auto at minimum is pretty ridiculous, and while it’s nice to see that Subaru addressed the leg room issues in the old Forester (are the front seats at least comfortable now, Megan?), they’d have better ensured future sales by making their 5-speed auto standard across the range of models and kept the iconic squared-off styling instead of churning out a down-sized Tribeca.
On the subject of Subaru losing its way under Toyota: I see it’s no longer possible to configure an Outback with the flat-6. What gives? Are Tribeca sales hurting that bad?
Megan – I was actually going to give the Forester a test drive this year. Never been interested in the old one. Just too F’Ugly for my taste. And Consumer Reports rates the 09 Forester the BEST little CUV?SUV?Station Wagon/whatever. Ahead of about 20 others. Now you’ve burst my bubble!
detlef – that Saab you really liked? THat IS a Subaru.
Go Tony Tiger,
Buy the Forester. I am Mitsubishi fan but I have a lot of respect for the Forester,Outback and especially the WRx.
Please test drive the WRX and it’s tight handling you won’t get disappointed. if not the Forester try the other models that I mentioned.
They are very very good on snow and hard body panel that you won’t get disappointed if you heat a Mazda in the rear.
@TonyTiger
Yeah, I know about the Saabaru’s glorious bastard lineage. Like I said, with the turbo it was a blast to drive, but it wasn’t the right car for the person who’d be driving it 90% of the time, and definitely would have been too small when kids and dogs come along in a few years.
Actually, for those looking for an alternate to the Forester, but something about the same size and with a reasonably nice engine (and that don’t need AWD), the Tiguan was pretty nice (and the jetta sportwagen even nicer, if that’s how you roll). I’m working on that review.
I thought TTAC had already covered the Tiguan. I guess not.
I drove one when they first arrived at dealers. Sounds like my opinion differs from Megan’s on this one. Disliked both the powertrain performance and the handling. Drove a GTI immediately afterwards to verify that both the powertrain and the chassis work much better in the hatch. They do.
I haven’t yet driven the Jetta in wagon form, but based on the Jetta GLI and GTI would much rather have one of those than a Tiguan. I think I’d also opt for the Forester over the Tiguan.
Megan mentioned the VW’s these car are being snob by the consumers or THE Mazda lovers.
The new Jetta GTI will make your Toupee hide in the glove compartment.
It is just a very fast car.
I mean the commercial is right You don’t need a rice rocket to go faster just drive the VW Jetta GTI and you don’t have to paint your brake calipers.
I bet the 2009 Rav4’s new 187 HP 4 cylinder will blow this out of the water in terms of value/MPG/everything!!
detlef,
I hope you are wrong about the Outback 3.0R being unavailable. That is on my short list for the commuter/utility car in the garage. This type of duty is what makes a Forester attractive to alot of buyers. Im no fan of the Forester, but I understand the appeal. For me, the Outback does everything better, though I do long for a manual transmission for the H6.
You can put me in that group that likes to know what’s going on with their vehicles before the point of no return (idiot light going on) is reached.
I’ve got some terrible news for you! Such a gauge is virtually nonexistent in new cars, even if there is a water temp gauge provided.
At GM we used to get a lot of warranty claims for cooling systems in Saturns. People thought their cars were overheating as the needle swung back and forth in response to the cooling fan cycling while at a long stoplight.
Two model years later and I noticed that the replacement Saturns had temperature needles that just sat in one spot, regardless of actual coolant temperature. I asked one of the powertrain engineers and he told me that GM’s new coolant gauges have only three positions: cold (warmup), “normal” (anything between warmup and overheating), and “point of no return” (overheated, shut down immediately).
Since then, I’ve noticed this on every single newer car (MY2000+) I’ve owned or driven. You start the car and the needle creeps up to a certain point on the indicator and just parks there indefinitely. You can clearly see on an OBDII instrument that the coolant temp is actually fluctuating, but the gauge is lifeless, stuck right in the middle.
I haven’t driven a Subaru in quite some time, but I’d make a healthy wager that even if they provide a gauge, it’s just like everyone else’s, with only three real positions: cold, normal, and “oh crap.” If you think that having a coolant gauge in a new car is really giving you any extra information beyond an idiot light, my opinion is that you’re fooling yourself.
It’s frustrating, very much like the oil pressure gauge on my Miata that actually doesn’t display oil pressure, it’s a computer simulation unless there is a catastrophic loss, at which point it drops to zero. An idiot light would be just as effective.
@socsndaisy
If you go to the Subaru NA website, they won’t let you configure/order an Outback with the flat-six, so I’m guessing they’ve discontinued that level of spec, looking forward to bringing over an Exiga 3.0 at some point.
If you’re looking for an Outback with the six right now, you might still be able to find one at a dealer. It just doesn’t look good going forward.
Megan, at first I thought that you were simply insane for the way this review portrays the new Forester, but the echoes of confirmation seem to validate your prose.
I once lived in Portland, Oregon and the Subaru population there is simply immense. Easily a quarter of vehicles on the road, and for good reason.
Well, it was for good reason. If they’ve switched from durable, tossable, rugged vehicles with nimble handling and highly sophisticated AWD systems to dolled-up RAV4s, well, that makes me sad.
Between this and the new WRX-Corolla, maybe they lost the plot. For shame.
Let met get this out of the way first: I am a Honda Loyalist. I own 2 currently, and have owned 8 total. I was very very excited when the new CR-V was released, and then bought an Element SC. We also shopped the 2007 Outback & Forrester. The wife LOVED both Subies, but didn’t really love the lack of space. The current gen Forrester fixed that.
It no longer looks like a tiny Volvo Wagon with a hood scoop, and yes, it could get mistaken for a Hyundai, Kia or Toyota. The DNA of the vehicle is still there though… Still has the stupidly large sunroof, the bulletproof 4wd & engine, and much to my (F*cking) chagrin, the room I had wanted out of the CR-V.
I have driven the XT, and its not a corner scalpel in the least, and the quirkyness has been dialed back just enough to draw the ire of the Subaru Loyalists. But guess what… it sells, and it introduces people to the brand, which sadly, is what they wanted it to do. Its not perfect, but it solves (for the brand and Subaru) a lot of problems that the outgoing Forrester had.
I hate saying this, but the comment about getting an RDX is SO off base… That poor thing is a tank, and can ONLY seat 4. Yes it hauls becky, but damn, its such a one trick pony. There’s no 4wd, you would never want to put a roof rack on it or get it muddy.
As far as the Tiguan… ha ha ha… VW’s… I am not sure they can ever remove the stigma of the previous generation of Jettas that were riddled with problems, and the first generation of Touregs.
I hate saying this, but the comment about getting an RDX is SO off base… That poor thing is a tank, and can ONLY seat 4. Yes it hauls becky, but damn, its such a one trick pony. There’s no 4wd, you would never want to put a roof rack on it or get it muddy.
It seats 5, same as the Forester XT. Perhaps with a bit less leg room… it’s a little smaller overall (tank? hardly). It also has AWD, but a different system than Subaru uses. It’s also powerful and handles superbly, two things the Forester XT is lacking. The Forester XT is a zero trick pony, as far as i can tell. Another dullmobile for the masses… it was sheer incompetence to put a turbocharger in it and do nothing else.
The Tiguan isn’t being built in Mexico, which is where all the bum Jettas come from. Interpret that how you will. I’ve had my GTI a year and a half now and I’ve had to replace the passenger seat airbag sensor… and I’d take up half a post listing the woes we’d had with the LGT by that point. Anyone who is buying a Subaru for the reliability is kidding themselves.